Apple argued that the Samsung gadgets are just copies of its own tablets and smartphones, and although some are sympathetic to that argument, they didn't include the court in the Netherlands. A Dutch appeals court dismissed Apple's appeal today, explaining that it could see enough differences between the two companies' hardware to deny Apple's request for the ban.

The two firms have turned the globe and its law courts into their battleground, and in the Netherlands both parties have pushed for bans on each others' hardware.

Although Apple got a preliminary injunction against the Galaxy Tab this was never firmed up properly, so now both companies have returned to harassing each other and fighting on all fronts. µ